Plunger device for displaying merchandise



Feb. 18, 1930. D. G, DANNI-:R ET AL 1,747,429 I' PLUNGER DEVICE FORDISPLAYING MECHANDISE Filed Sept. 6, 1927 Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNTED STATES LPMF-'1N' FICE n GEORGE DANNEE AND JOSEPH GLENN `firroivrrnsoN, OE MINERN, IOWA; SAID .i

THOMPSON AssIGNOE To sArn D GEORGE DANNEE PLUNGER DEVICE FOR DISIPLAYING MERCHANDISE The object of our invention is to provide a plunger device for displaying merc-handise.

It is a common practice to provide display cartons for cookies, crackers, biscuits and the like. These are usually placed on an inclined shelf or the like, so that the upper or display end of the carton is conveniently visible and also conveniently accessible. Cookies, crackers or other merchandise are taken from the top of the container.

The object of our device is to provide a plunger in the container readily adjustable for moving the contents, so that the contents will always be near the top of the container.

lVith these and other objects in view, our invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of our device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in our claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a battery Ofdevices embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical, detail, sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the plunger; and

Figure 4 is a detail, sectional view of the plunger actuating rod.

1n the accompanyingdrawings, we have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally the legs of a supporting shelf or display rack, having the shelf members 12 and 14, which are connected at their lower edges and are inclined respectively forwardly and upwardly and upwardly and rearwardly, as perhaps best shown in Figure 2.

t is the practice to set display cartons 16 on these shelves, with their vertical axes inclined upwardly and forwardly as shown in Figure 2. Y

The carton 16 may be provided with a removable transparent cover member 18.

The merchandise issometimes put into the carton in bulk, and sometimes as in the case of fancy cookies and cakes, is c-arefully laid in and the individual pieces are kept apart by fillers and separator strips.

In the case of our improved device, the

carton 16 .is provided'in its bottom with a hole 20. Resting against the bottom of the carton is a plunger 22. The hole 20 is loca` ted a little below the center of the bottom of the carton, considering the cartonin the position shown in Figure 2.V v

The plunger 22 is preferably provided with some means for connecting with vthe plunger actuating rod. In the present instance, we have shown' the plunger 22 pro- 6@ vided with a projectingl socket 24, which when the plunger is in the bottom of the carton extends into the hole 20. l

Anysuitable plunger actuating means may be provided. y

We have shown in our drawings a `novel form for such a device. Mounted on the 'rear or underside of the shelf 14 is a flange 26, which maybe secured to the shelf member `14 by means of screws 28. Projecting from the 'm flange-26 is a tubular v bearing and guide member 30. The shelf member 14 has a hole 50 registering with the tubular bearingv30.

A. plunger rod 32 is slidably mounted in the bearing member 30 and projects through the flange 26 and is adapted to have its inner end received infthe socket 24. V

The plunger rod 32 may be locked in the4 bearing 30 at different points of adjustment by means of a set screw 84. At its outerend, .89' the rod 32 has a reduced portion 86 on which a sleeve 38 may be mounted. l v 7 At the outerv or lower end ofthe sleeve 88, a detachablehandle 40, provided with a reduced end 42, may beused; The reduced end 42 is snugly received in the end ofthe sleeve 38. The sleeve 38 and bearing 30 may be connected by a ieXible member, suchfas a small chain 34. 1 i n Y The sleeve 38 is used for affording an eX- tension of the rod '32, so that the rod 32 vmay be used with cartons of different depths;

The handle 40 may be employed with aV seriesof rplunger rod In'actua'l'practicd our improved plunger display device 'is operated as follows: f

ItA is the experience of merchants that where merchandise is displayed in cartons like the carton 16, customers will purchase from the cartons which are full.'` Itis harder lto sell from cartons which are partially empty. Y We have found by actual tests that where our plunger display device isused, customers Willbuy much'more freely than from cartons Whichjhave been partially emptied.

' Where our: device isemploye@,the plunger .22"is normallyrat the bottom of theA carton.

In the particular carton here shown, vWe Y y' have'svhovv'l the separator stripsfl and the iller Sheets 48 for keeping the merchandise pieces 50 separated,

' i After the top layer 'ar'tvvo'fithefnerchali e dise has been sold, the luserv of a device of this lkind, fits the handle 40 to the sleeve 384 and shoyes the plungerrod 22 upwardly, thus ad-y l vanoing the plungen-rod'QZ upwardly and i bringing the remainingV top.k layer of goods to the upper end ofthe carton.

M from Vthe top layers, thev succeeding layers As the goodsjare successively removed aremovedtoward 7the top` ofthe carton,-so that theca'rton. appears to be full, and so Y l that the goods'v are near the top. l '.25

` VVfand. rapidlyy than goods which appear to be half Waydovvn toward the bottompof the oar-Y i e- Goods so displayed are; sold more easily fton. i

l Will', ofcourse, be understood that some i ,changes may be made in the arrangement and Y construction of the parts of our improvedv de- ,viceL Without departing from the Areal spirit andgpurpbseofour invention, and it isfour inf tentionto cover by our-claims any modifiedv forms'of structure or'` use of" mechanical equivalents, Whichina-y be. reasonably inolud# edyvithintheir Yscope;r

claimasournvention: l g f* .4

` 1a.v In. afdeviceofithe class disclosed, a pair e ofside members, la V-sha'ped trough between I vthem for receiving, acarton, ay bearing sleeve -mo-unted on one ofthe Walls of said. trough,

arirodmountd in saidL sleeve and adapted to ,coactlwith; the contents of a carton, received fsaid'trough and a detachablepeX/tension yforsaid rod whereby thereffective lengthy of ysaidrod may be ,increased Without the 'rod projecting out of the bearing sleeve to.l a profjrojliibitive degree When the carton isin illed con-dition. Y Y

Q2. InaV device of'theclass described,a pair of side, members, a. Vishaped troughebetween them for receiving a carton, a'bearing sleeve, av rod mounted inv said' -sleeve carried by said troughgandadapte'd to "coactvvitht the. con# tentsqof a cartonzreceived'in said trough, a Y detachable eXtensionfor-said rod 'andmeans f l carried said sleeve yfor lookingz saidY rod in variouspositions vof its` adjustmentrelative e thereto, isaid llast means coaotingnvvith; said l extenslon-Wlien 1t assumes a position Within Said bearing! DesMoines, lovva, lSeptember 1, 1927;

,D GEORGE BANNER.V f j JOSEPH GLENN THOMPSON. 

